#team gr8

“He is.” Both she and Shino turn at the same time to the doorway. Kurenai-sensei is there, looking tired if not relieved. She offers a weak tired smile. “You both should get some rest. Hinata you’re still healing and Shino your father will be wondering where you are.” She shakes her head and Kurenai-sensei sighs but walks over and rests a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“One more hour won’t hurt,” Kurenai-sensei says before settling into silence.

And this is team 8, long comfortable silences and words shared in glances and smiles. Gentle firm hands correcting posture and eyes sharp with intent.

Except it isn’t. At least not all of it.

Because there are bursts of barks and laughter shattering the steady quiet and sparkling in the air. There’s hard but well-intended hits and dark bruises that go blue and purple and all the other colours of love. There’s the sharp slash of colour and grins and laughter that bubbles and froths out. There’s so much more to them than this.

“I don’t ever want to see Kiba like this,” she says, her voice thick with tears. Kurenai-sensei shakes her head and sighs. It’s the saddest she’s ever seen her.

“You will and he’ll see you both like this. There’s not much you can do about that.” She says gently. Hinata wants to scream and get angry and tell her that this is stupid, that she’s wrong and that everything is wrong.

She nods instead and says this:

“I want to become stronger then.” Shino shifts beside her and she knows that he is with her in this. We’re a pack after all and she can hear Kiba’s voice laced with laughter echoing in her head. “I want to be able to protect the people I love.” Kurenai-sensei doesn’t exactly smile but she wraps her arm around both her and Shino and nods, perfunctory.

“Ok,” she finally says.

                                                            *

She goes to her father for the first time in years. She’s always felt stronger with Kiba’s laughter in her ear and Shino’s quiet presence, with the smell of dog and Kurenai-sensei’s smile but they aren’t here. Kiba and Akamaru are fighting for their lives and Shino is home and there is no one but her.

She goes into her father’s office, breathes deeply, straightens her back and walks with each step laced with every good memory she has.

“I want you to train me again.” Her father doesn’t look up, barely even acknowledges her.

“Why waste my time training you? You’re no longer heiress. Your training is no longer my issue.” She had expected this, had expected his indifference and disappointment. She would be a liar to say it didn’t hurt but she steels herself. Reminds herself of little Akamaru who’s so little and Kiba in the hospital bed. Reminds herself of Shino who refuses to show his tears and Kurenai-sensei who is tired. Reminds herself of her team, her pack. You have to be strong.

“I don’t care about being the heiress.” Her father finally looks up and she nearly stumbles from the weight of his attention.  “I w-want to be strong enough to p-protect my people.”

Her father straightens up and leans forward, listening.

                                                         *

Kiba and Akamaru wake up because of course they do and both her and Shino stumble over each other to just touch him. Kiba is still hurt but he still pulls them both into a hug. There’s Shino’s elbow in her side and Kiba’s hand in her hair and the smell and sound of Akamaru.